Broken Strut

[Kevin Johnston]

When I purchased my E27 it had a broken strut (FYI - the strut is the bronze fitting that has a bearing in that that the shaft pass through and right before the propellor attaches to it). I believe the purpose of the strut is to stablizes the shaft.

I had it repaired my first year I owned the boat. With it broken reverse is not easy going but it works. The boat has a folding prop and it has some difficulty in rough water when it is under power when the strut is broken. The strut is broken again, so apparently the weld to make the repair did not hold.

Is this a common problem? Next time the boat is hauled, is there any other better way to make the fix?

 

[Loren Beach]

Those bronze struts are usually cast bronze, and are probably quite (!) difficult to weld up.
You probably need a new strut...
Some grinding and re-glassing will be involved...

Someone here may know a source, since there are so many sisterships out there.

Best of luck,
Loren

 

[Glyn Judson]

Broken Strut fix.

Kevin, If Loren's good idea doesn't pan out you might want to try using the old parts as a pattern to have a new one made. I have had good luck with the Port Townsend Foundry for several items and even had a pair of 8" mid ship cleats cast in bronze using the old aluminum ones. The cost including machining came to less than a new Schaefer aluminum one cost at West Marine. You can contact them at www.porttownsendfoundry.com. Good luck, Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA

 

[jkm]

Kevin

My guess is that the weld was deficient. Do you know if the welder ground down both sides of the break so it looked, in profile, like two pencils point to point, then the joint was filled (welded).

I have seen many welds in many materials fail because of poor prep work-so check it out.

There is no reason for a properly prepped joint to fail.

$ .01 please

John

 

[Blue Jeans]

Try Marine Hardware in Redmond, WA. They told me that they have the original patterns from Ericson.


[SIZE=-1]Phone: 425-883-0651
FAX: 425-869-1232
Ship: 14560 NE 91st Court Redmond, WA. 98052
Mail: P.O. Box 3099 Redmond WA. 98052 info@marinehardware.com

Also try Second Wave in Seattle, WA. I found a strut there that would work in an Ericson 36C that was cheaper.
secondwave.cc

Bob McKee
Ericson 36C
Blue Jeans

[/SIZE]